1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to breathing aids; more particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of nasal dilators
2. Background
There are a number of solutions that have been made to address the problems of obstructed breathing through ones nose. Focus has been primarily to address breathing obstruction during sleep which causes sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous medical condition.
A popular product on the market is sold under the brand Breathe Right™ nasal strips. A flexible strip of plastic that is attached to an oversized adhesive strip. The adhesive strip is placed traversing the bridge of the nose and bent to conform to the side of the nose. The plastic strip then tries to straighten but is resisted by the adhesive border which pulls up on the side of the nose therefore opening the nostrils. This is fine for sleeping when the breathing is light but cannot keep the nostril open comfortably under heavy load. Also the adhesive is not practical for exercise as sweat can weaken the adhesive and the wearer can have skin irritation from wearing the adhesive long-term.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,006 describes a clip that is malleable to position spacers in the top of the nostril that then prevents the nostril closure. The holder can then be bent and formed to fit the wearer. This creates a large obstruction in the nostril as the spacer must be large enough to expand the nostril to be effective. Further, there is a risk that the spacers can be dislodged and inhaled causing injury. Further, being malleable, the apparatus must be constantly adjusted to maintain placement and not fall off the nose, as there is no clamping mechanism. Further, this design does not easily accommodate the many sizes and shapes of noses. Spacers and holders would have to be in various sizes as one size will not fit around the many nose tip shapes.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/630,895 describes a spring that does not put pressure on the top of the nose and holds two pivotal feet that spread the nose outward at the lower part of the nostril. Spreading the nose outward will not create sufficient force to hold open the nasal wall during exercise. The wall will tend to fold over it in the middle of the nostril. Creating two pivot points at the outer nostril walls makes the dilator easily rotate about those points requiring tape at the top of the nose to keep it securely in place as described. He further describes an generally L shaped arm with a U shape bent at 90 degrees at each end to enter the side of the nostril.
Some designs prefer wire products that are made to be springy but the wires can cause injury to the wearer as well as acute skin trauma from the sharp and focused pressure points imposed on the wearer of a wire dilator.
Other patents disclose flexible loops or balls that can be inserted in the nose. These create a constant pressure against the septum wall which is very sensitive and can cause irritation and discomfort.
There remains a need for a nasal dilator that can be comfortably worn, that can adapt to the variety of noses, that can be manufactured inexpensively and be reusable. A dilator that stays on the nose during exercise and can maintain nostril dilation during heavy breathing.